Zimbabwe’s Mugabe ‘threatens’ The Queen over sanctions

Robert Mugabe, the dictator of Zimbabwe, wants The Queen to help get sanctions against his country lifted and has threatened that if she refuses, he will strip British businesses of their assets in Zimbabwe.

The 89 year old dictator has threatened to sell British owned firms to Chinese rivals.

The Mail on Sunday were passed secret documents that exposed Mugabe’s campaign of blackmail and bribery that were drawn up earlier this month by the dictator’s closest advisors. He wants to persuade the Queen to compel the British government to relent over sanctions. Mugabe wants Her Majesty to offer her wildlife or mining concessions as “a token gift of goodwill to make the message of reconciliation profound and clear”. He has warned that if his campaign fails, British owned firms will be seized and given to the Chinese. The documents stated “In the absence of an agreement to take our offers and relent on sanctions all British-owned [firms] will be seized without compensation and handed to friendly nations”.

The 89 year old dictator last month returned to power in a heavily disputed presidential election. During his campaign, Mugabe rallied against Britain and just last week he argued against the United Nations about “illegal and filthy sanctions” that include travel bans.

A foreign office source said that moves against British firms would ‘undermine global confidence’ in an economy recovering from one of the worst hyper-inflations in history.